The church struck back with this letter, sent through leader
David Miscavige's legal counsel, Jeffrey Riffer.

Here are the highlights:

The letter states that Orth didn't make a real effort to
interview Miscavige and only left a voicemail.

David Miscavige and Tom Cruise are far too busy to have as
close of a relationship as Vanity Fair alleges, according to the
letter. Orth's article stated that Miscavige was ever-present in
Tom Cruise's marriage to Katie Holmes.

The letter claims there are "Vanity Fair employees who know
Mr. Miscavige personally, including a Vanity Fair employee who
works for Mr. Miscavige in a professional capacity." The unnamed
VF staffer has supposedly worked for Miscavige
for eight years.

The article's main sources, Marty Rathbun and Mike Rinder,
are "a dynamic duo of lunatic venom and untrustworthy bile,"
according to the letter.

Finally, the letter says that "The sting of the jury verdict
will last longer still; far longer than any pleasure from racing
to publish a poorly researched and sourced story."